DINAS Powys Cricket Club 1st XI travelled to Machen hoping to change the record after some poor recent results.

Dinas arrived to a sodden outfield and an emerald green wicket so when skipper Nathan Piddock won the toss the only feasible option was to bowl.

In the early stages the wicket certainly lived up to its billing with Machen struggling on 30-3 thanks to two wickets for Josh Clogg and Piddock claiming one LBW. From this strong position with their hosts on the ropes, Dinas took their foot off the gas allowing Machen to accelerate and build a few useful partnerships.

Lewie Clarke bagged himself two wickets late on but in truth Dinas skipper Piddock felt as if his side had given Machen a chance with the visitors due to chase an inflated 163 on the further deteriorating wicket.

Piddock and Gordon Hannah headed the Dinas batting line-up but both were not out in the middle for very long. The same could be said for number three Matt Todd-Bennett leaving Dinas in a spot of bother on 26-3.

In the shadow of Mynydd Machen, Dinas certainly had a mountain to climb when Asad Rizvi and young Jack Thomas took to the crease.

But the pair batted beautifully with Rizvi whacking a quality 74 which included three huge sixes before he was eventually caught. Thomas (35 not out) saw his side to victory superbly flanked by Curtis ‘Charlie’ Wingren’s speedy 16 not out with Dinas running out winners by six wickets.

The 1sts travel to Llantwit Fadre for the final match of the season next Saturday looking to end on a high a league campaign which has ended in mid-table obscurity despite promising promotion ambitions at one stage.

The 2nd XI took on 10-man Sully Centurions in a dour affair at Parc Bryn-y-Don. Much to Dinas skipper Andy Ford’s surprise, Sully won the toss and elected to bat first despite their obvious lack of depth.

Ford juggled his bowling line-up slightly with Upinder ‘Ranjit’ Singh opening up with young spinner Rhys Lloyd.

Singh got an early breakthrough but from then on blocking was the order of the day for Sully. Despite not tacking a wicket Lloyd went for just three runs in his nine over spell, first change Richie Morgan for only four in seven overs in an astonishing batting mentality from the visiting side.

But just as the Dinas fielders were losing the little sanity any of them have, skipper Ford threw the dice and brought on spin-twin Mavis Wilton.

Wilton’s unorthodox tweaking proved too much for Sully’s resistors as he ate his way through the middle order claiming his best ever league haul of 4-29. Had Mave’s Midas touch extended to his catching ability he’d have been looking at much-craved five-fer but unfortunately he shelled one off his own bowling.

Ollie Coughtrey and Rhys Bradley cleaned up the tail bringing the Sully innings to a close with them posting a paltry 67 after 36 mundane overs.

In truth, Ruth Clogg’s tea-time must have lasted longer than Dinas’s chase as Brychan ‘Brunswick’ Tudor (26 not out) and Jason Harries (32 not out) knocked off the 67 in less than 10 overs. Lloyd Di Mauro was the only Sully victim as he departed for six but the game was all over with the clock not even striking 4pm as Dinas won a one-sided encounter by nine wickets.

The 3rd XI home game against Cross Keys was postponed with the visitors unable to raise a side affording Red Todd-Bennett’s troops their Saturday afternoon’s off – which were more than likely spent in the Dinas Powys public house with identical naming to what would have been the visiting side.

The skipper would like to thank everybody for their support this year in what has been an excellent season despite narrowly missing out on promotion.